B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

Isaac,
The common meaning of ‫סכן‬ throughout Scripture seems to be to make a profit, as Karl said.
I would translate Eccl 10:9 as:
He that is removing stones is hurt by them. He that is cleaving trees is profited by them.

Steve,

Here is, again, Ecclesiastes 10:9
מַסִּיעַ אֲבָנִים יֵעָצֵב בָּהֶם בּוֹקֵעַ עֵצִים יִסָּכֶן בָּם
Your translation: "He that is removing stones is hurt by them. He that is cleaving trees is profited by them"
Do you have an explanation as to why moving stones is hurting, but cleaving wood is profitable?

Isaac Fried, Boston University

Isaac,
That is a good question. I think moving stones refers to moving a landmark, that is trying to steal some of your neighbor's property.
Cleaving wood is honest work to get wood for building or fuel.

About Num. 22:30 and the relation סכן - שכן we recall that it is similarly in English: "habit" is 'settled behavior', while "habitat" is from the Latin habitare 'to live, to dwell, to settle'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University